“On March 27, the American Academy of Family Physicians issued a letter(43 page PDF) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services calling for the development of a new set of evaluation and management codes specifically for primary care physicians that would result in increased payment for the intensity and complexity of care and work provided by primary care physicians. The AAFP has asked CMS to consider creating the new codes for inclusion in the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

“A report that features the work of David A. Katerndahl, MD, MA, accompanied the letter and makes the case that the intensity and complexity of an E/M encounter with a primary care physician is demonstrably different, both qualitatively and quantitatively, than encounters with other specialists. The existing E/M codes do not adequately reflect the scope of our responsibilities and the complexity of the care that we provide in the office and other outpatient settings. Primary care E/M services should be valued higher than E/M services provided by other specialists.

“This most recent request to CMS is a continuation of strong, ongoing efforts by the AAFP on behalf of its members to reform fee-for service payment for primary care services. In 2012, the AAFP Board of Directors made the decision to remain an active participant in the AMA/Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC), despite ongoing concerns that the current process has historically undervalued primary care services in its recommendations to CMS. The AAFP took a stance that it would participate in the RUC process while also advocating directly with CMS.

“Around the same time, the AAFP’s Primary Care Valuation Task Force made recommendations that included creating primary-care specific E/M codes and valuing primary care E/M services differently than those provided by subspecialists in the current fee-for-service model.

“While the AAFP is grateful CMS has increased the value of the current office or other outpatient E/M codes in the past, such payment increases apply to any physician performing such an E/M service, regardless of whether the physician is performing a primary care service. As a result, CMS has explicitly extended payment increases for non-primary care services. The AAFP will continue advocating on behalf of its members for payment commensurate with the intensity and complexity performed at the primary care level.”

Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 120,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is nearly 214 million office visits each year — nearly 74 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer website, www.FamilyDoctor.org(www.familydoctor.org).